South America

Area: 18 million km² / 7 million sq mi

Population: 386 million

The triangular continent of South America stretches from north of the Equator almost down to the Antarctic Circle. It contains three very different landscapes: the Andes forming a backbone along the Pacific Ocean coast, desnse rainforests in the Amazon valley and Caribbean coast, and windswept grasslands near the cold, southern point of the continental landmass at Cape Horn.

Quick Facts

South America is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.

Its total landmass area accounts for 3.5% of the earth’s surface, ranking it fourth among all continents behind Asia, Africa and North America.

South America is the fifth most populated continent behind Asia, Africa, Europe and North America.

The continent lies mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with only a relatively low portion in the Northern Hemisphere.

The large majority of the continent’s population lives near the western or eastern coastal regions and both the interior and the far south are relatively sparsely populated.

At 6,959 metres, Cerro Aconcagua (Argentina) is the highest mountain in South America.

Brazil is the largest country in South America.

South America is very culturally diverse due to the mixture of traditions of the indigenous people as well as immigrants from Europe, Africa and Asia.

Due to its history of colonialism, most South Americans speak Portuguese or Spanish.

The Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth, which located in South America and is home of the Volcano Marathon.

Barranquilla (Colombia, South America)

The sixth marathon of the 2018 World Marathon Challenge will be operated in Barranquilla, Colombia.